


Stabilize

by sadwyvern



Series: Gravity [5]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Earthborn (Mass Effect), M/M, Paragon Commander Shepard, Sole Survivor (Mass Effect), Trans Male Character, Vanguard (Mass Effect)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 19:52:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10578348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadwyvern/pseuds/sadwyvern





	

            “Is that my shirt?”

            Scott’s head whipped around, neck nearly cracking to see Kaidan sitting up on the bed behind him, giving him a confused, but amused look. He flushed with embarrassment and toyed with the edges of the shirt, which fell far below his hips.

            “Sorry.” He smiled sheepishly. Kaidan waved him off, standing and approaching him slowly. A warm, broad hand tipped his chin up to meet Kaidan’s gaze.

            “It looks nice on you.” He murmured, studying Scott’s wide-blown pupils and the thick blush on his cheeks. “It’d look even better on the floor.”

            Scott felt his stomach drop instantly, grabbing Kaidan’s hand as it reached for the hem of the shirt and feeling his biotics surge with adrenaline. Kaidan froze, gaze softening in concern. He twisted his wrist out of the smaller man’s grasp to hold his hand, while his other was now carting through his hair in an attempt to calm the near-panicking man down.

            “You’re okay, Scott. I’m not going to touch you anywhere you aren’t okay with. You’re fine.” He murmured reassuringly, feeling a bit of relief when Scott’s rigid posture fell and he began leaning into the touches.

            “Sorry.” He mumbled bleakly, shoving his face into the older biotic’s chest. Kaidan merely shushed him, wrapping his arms around Scott solidly.

            “Can I see your hip?” Kaidan broke the silence after a moment, hands brushing up and down his husband’s back.

            Scott bit down another apology and nodded, hands dropping to grab the hem of the shirt. Hesitating for a moment, he quickly pulled it over his head and tossed it half-heartedly towards the bed. It hit the edge of the bed before slipping to the floor.

            Kaidan’s fingers traced the line of his hip just above the bruises. They looked bad, worse than he’d ever seen them before. The blue patches extended from his hip to almost halfway down his thigh, and he could see the dark purple points where the pen had met his skin. A sickly yellow-green bordered marks, meaning they were at least a few days old. He cursed himself for not being more alert, especially when this wasn’t the first incident.

            “When did you make these?”

            Scott was silent for a moment before responding, sounding exhausted. “Tuesday. Behind stage after the interview.”

            He remembered. Some ameratuer reporter from a local news network wanted Scott in for an interview. Why they’d chosen a trainee to interview _Commander Shepard_ , no one was sure, but the woman had asked some very deep, uncomfortable questions. Scott had handled the reporter’s prodding with grace and kept up a convincing smile, but upon returning home, he was quiet and distant, almost unresponsive. Kaidan should’ve known something was up, but his exhaustion had him pulling his husband into bed and passing out almost immediately. He never even bothered to check up on Scott, who’d likely been half-delusional and stuck in the past. This time, he cursed aloud.

            Scott flinched, shrinking in on himself, shoulders raised defensively. He was stopped by a broad hand on his shoulder, and another lifting his chin as Kaidan kissed him gently, feeling Scott relax marginally in his grip.

            “I’m not going to hurt you, Scott,” Kaidan spoke, pressing his forehead against Scott’s, “I’m not upset with you, just at the reporter for being so careless.’

            He paused, allowing Scott to repeat, “You’re not going to hurt me. You’re not upset with me.”

            Kaidan smiled, cupping the back of Scott’s head and kissing him again. “How about some breakfast?” He asked when they pulled away. Scott nodded.

            As the two padded down the hallway, Scott still looking uncertain, he felt a hand grab his and he smiled, squeezing the man’s hand back in reassurance. He knew Scott didn’t fully believe him yet, especially after everything he’d been through, but Kaidan was willing to wait a lifetime if that’s what it took.


End file.
